American Financial Benefits Center Asks: What's in a Name? For One Lucky Harland, College Tuition Money

EMERYVILLE, Calif., Sept. 14, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- American Financial Benefits Center (AFBC) doesn't know whether to be amused or appalled by a recent marketing scheme by a famous fast food chain. Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is offering $11,000 in tuition for the first parents willing to name their child born on Sept. 9, the founder's birthday, Harland. In acknowledgment of the child's future on a playground somewhere, parents only have to use the given name and can skip the title and surname of the company's founder, Colonel Harland Sanders. For those who have utilized a more traditional solution to student loan debt, AFBC, a document preparation company that assists with applications for federal student loan repayment programs, remains a trusted advocate. As AFBC clients know, enrollment and recertification in federal programs, such as income-driven repayment plans (IDRs), can make a real difference in their lives.

"Hopefully most families won't have to go through such extreme measures to get their children through college without an overwhelming amount of student loan debt," said Sara Molina, manager at AFBC. "For our customers, our focus remains helping them remain in federal programs, such as IDRs, that can hopefully keep monthly payments low enough to keep up with the rest of household bills."

As a name, Harland last broke through the top 1,000 names for American boys in 1918. This was the year that 155 Harlands were born and the name was at the peak of its popularity. And though there is a fun and irreverent tone to this promotion, there are some criticisms. One is that this is a relatively small amount of money in relation to the total cost of college. In fact, it is barely enough to currently pay for one year of in-state tuition and fees at America's least expensive four-year public institutions. Further, a child must be first named Harland and then entered into the contest where only one child will be determined to be the "first" Harland born on that day. Will there be Harlands that don't even make any money for being called a very old-fashioned name the rest of their lives?

KFC has a history of outlandish marketing strategies. Last year, it launched a new chicken sandwich by launching one into "space" where it floated for four days at an altitude of up to 80,000 feet. This prompted Marina Koren of The Atlantic to ask: "Why did the chicken cross the Troposphere?" The article also pointed out that space is usually understood to begin at 330,000 feet above the earth's surface, so the promotion perhaps reached higher than its sandwich. It is also interesting for KFC to tie the promotion to student loan debt, a full-fledged crisis in which more than 44 million Americans owe more than $1.5 trillion. While there are many strategies for dealing with this crisis, AFBC expertly guides its clients through the federal repayment process, acting as a devoted guide to those overwhelmed by student loan debt.

"Though we cannot advise for or against naming your child for a fast food chicken founder to offset the cost of college," said Molina, "we can recommend IDRs as a potential solution to high student loan payments. We have helped our clients apply for IDRs and reduce their monthly payments so they could move forward in their lives, including saving for a child's education in a less original, and less extra crispy way."

About American Financial Benefits Center

American Financial Benefits Center is a document preparation company that helps clients apply for federal student loan repayment plans that fit their personal financial and student loan situation. Through its strict customer service guidelines, the company strives for the highest levels of honesty and integrity.

Each AFBC telephone representative has received the Certified Student Loan Professional certification through the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA).

American Financial Benefits Center Newsroom

Contact

To learn more about American Financial Benefits Center, please contact:

American Financial Benefits Center
1900 Powell Street #600
Emeryville, CA 94608
1-800-488-1490
[email protected]

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SOURCE American Financial Benefits Center